PUBS.NCTM.
ORG EAR_TO_THE_GROUND
Beautiful Mathematical
Indigenous Connections
Ear to the Ground features voices from several corners of the mathematics education world.
Jo Boaler and Donna Fernandez
We want to share new teaching people might say that there are value of a mathematical lens in the
resources for Indigenous art that is no triangles on the shape, but if world, it is important to take an
beautifully mathematical. Having we are to help students see the “-ish” approach; we acknowledged
students notice and wonder about that there were triangle-ish shapes
this art can help them learn about on the dreamcatcher (Boaler,
mathematics, art, and Indigenous 2024). We then invited the students
cultures. Figure 1 n Image of a
A to “mathematize” the image (i.e.,
In February 2023, I (Jo) was Dreamcatcher to use a mathematical lens to see
invited—along with youcubed what else they could identify in
cofounder Cathy Williams—to the artwork that was interestingly
visit the Senpaq’cin School, a First mathematical). Students decided
Nations school in Canada, to work to explore the triangles and find
with teachers and students. We their area on the shape.
shared Indigenous artwork that Our trip to the Senpaq’cin
we knew illustrated interesting School was lovely, but I was even
mathematical concepts that more pleased when a teacher
students could recognize and contacted me a week later to
discuss, such as geometric figures share that she had extended the
or algebraic functions. lesson, inviting students to design
First, we shared an image their own dreamcatchers and
(Figure 1) and asked the students analyze the patterns and algebraic
what they noticed and wondered, functions they produced (see
encouraging them to draw from Figures 2, 3, and 4).
their own experiences and
cultures. The students said they
saw a river, a laptop, a medicine STARTING A NETWORK
wheel, and a room, as well as The event was so inspiring for
quadrilaterals and triangles. Some us that it prompted us to ask our
MATHEMATICS TEACHER: LEARNING & TEACHING PK–12 © 2024 NCTM Volume 117_Issue 08_August_2024 601
Brought to you by NCTM | Unauthenticated | Downloaded 08/02/24 06:05 PM UTC
EAR_TO_THE_GROUND PUBS.NCTM.ORG
youcubed newsletter subscribers have Indigenous mathematical School and through our newsletter,
if any of them wanted to join an conversations with students, asking Bluebird Math Circle. I was thrilled
initiative to help share additional them what they notice and wonder to help lead youcubed’s Indigenous
Indigenous art. We now have a (see Figures 5 and 6). Other online Mathematics Educators Group.
group of roughly 120 educators, resources include Indigenous The group is passionate and
all of whom work in Indigenous mathematical art and questions to joyful. This initiative has allowed
education and/or are Indigenous guide mathematical discussions teachers to increase the visibility
themselves. Donna (co-author) (link online). of Indigenous knowledge through
is one of our senior advisors and art and math.
a member of the Pomo tribe in
California. MAKING CONNECTIONS
Together we gathered four I (Donna) was excited to hear
artists: Kanaka Maoli (Native about Jo and Cathy’s mathematical
Hawaiian), Bundjalung and Yorta experiences with students at Figure 3 Student Work
Yorta of Anglo-Celtic ancestry Senpaq’cin School. This was Exploring
(Aboriginal, Australia), and familiar to our work at the Alliance Hexagons to
members of the Métis Nation of Indigenous Math Circles Triangles
(Canada) and Oklahoma Cherokee (link online). AIMC has inspired
Nation (California). In a new section Indigenous students through
of the youcubed (n.d.) website (link enriching math problems at our
online), we share the artists’ work, annual Math Circles Summer
in order to encourage teachers to Camp held at Navajo Preparatory
Figure 2 Student Work Example
Figure 4 Student Work
Exploring
Algebraic
Functions
Jo Boaler is a Stanford professor, a cofounder of youcubed.org and Struggly.com, and the author of Mathematical
Mindsets and Mathish: Finding Creativity, Diversity & Meaning in Mathematics.
Donna Fernandez (Pomo), dfernandez@srcs.k12.ca.us, teaches secondary mathematics at Piner High School
in Santa Rosa, CA. She is interested in promoting Indigenous mathematical knowledge in the classroom and
curriculum.
doi:10.5951/MTLT.2024.0015
602 MATHEMATICS TEACHER: LEARNING & TEACHING PK–12 © 2024 NCTM Volume 117_Issue 08_August_2024
Brought to you by NCTM | Unauthenticated | Downloaded 08/02/24 06:05 PM UTC
PUBS.NCTM.ORG EAR_TO_THE_GROUND
As an Indigenous person not aware that Native Americans within my classroom, so it was
teaching in a public school, I still exist in our community, nor special to launch the Indigenous
(Donna) was disappointed but not did they know about our culture. Mathematical Art page on
surprised that my students were I take pride in sharing my culture youcubed. Students heard the story
about the art, and they were able
to notice and wonder about the
mathematics and culture within
Figure 5 rtwork From Aguenus (Angela Hall), Métis Nation
A the art. Incorporating Indigenous
Member of Cree and Stoney Ancestry, Living in art into mathematics classes
Alberta, Canada expanded the students’ views and
knowledge of Native people.
A CALL TO ACTION
The Indigenous Mathematics
Educators Group continues to
meet quarterly to suggest more
Indigenous art to be featured on
the youcubed website, through a
partnership between youcubed
and AIMC. Visit us online to learn
about group membership (link
online). AIMC recently released
the Bluebird Math Circle issue
(#58), inviting students to explore
mathematical ideas in the work
of featured artist Angela Hall.
The mathematical activities
focus on geometrical ideas of
similarities and scale factors. The
mathematical art also features
iterating functions to model
Figure 6 rtwork From John Balloue (Oklahoma Cherokee
A growth as a sequence, fractal
Nation), Living in California structures, and rotational and
mirror symmetry, providing a
bridge to numerical methods in
calculus via dot art (link online).
We invite all educators to explore
the Indigenous art resources being
developed through AIMC and
youcubed and to introduce this
beautiful mathematical approach
to your students. _
REFERENCES
Boaler, J. (2024). Math-ish: Finding creativity, diversity and meaning in mathematics. Harper Collins.
youcubed. (n.d.) Indegenous mathematical art. https://www.youcubed.org/resource/indigenous-maths-art/
MATHEMATICS TEACHER: LEARNING & TEACHING PK–12 © 2024 NCTM Volume 117_Issue 08_August_2024 603
Brought to you by NCTM | Unauthenticated | Downloaded 08/02/24 06:05 PM UTC
